Who will be Argentina’s 46 players for the Rugby Championship?

Two events this week shaped Argentina’s Rugby Championship roster. First, Mario Ledesma said he will take 46 players to Australia. Second, a 30-man roster was named for the South American Four Nations. Who then will be on the plane to Australia?

Before identifying probable players who will play there are names to note who will not. Ledesma named 59 players in May. The list became 60 in July. Racing 92 winger Juan Imhoff was the most notable absentee, though there were others.

Two players can be crossed off the list, reducing the player pool size to 58. Rookie Jaguares prop Joel Sclavi was ruled out through injury in September and Joaquín Tuculet announced his retirement from Los Pumas.

The UAR opted against capping matches in the South American Four Nations. The Argentina XV not Los Pumas will play. This is reflected in more than just the team name. Javier Díaz is the only capped player on the 30-man roster. His three caps in June 2018 happen to have been Daniel Hourcade’s final three matches in charge.

It would appear that Ledesma clarifies as Díaz cover rather than priority. This terminology applies to the Argentina XV roster across all positions. Does this mean that the players who did not go to Uruguay are pivotal to Ledesma’s plans? Yes.

Who then will go to Australia? Fourteen of the initial players were based in Europe. Nine further players have departed for Europe; several more are tipped to do so for 2021. In other words, around half of the roster is likely to be Argentine based and half European.

Australia will require teams to enter quarantine upon arrival. This makes it unlikely for a European-based player to join the roster after the Rugby Championship has started. Cover will certainly come from Argentina XV players.

Ledesma selected 17 forwards and 14 backs for RWC 2019. This provides insight into his thinking. So too does his 28-man roster for the 2018 Rugby Championship. On that occasion he 15 forwards and 13 backs.

An option would be replicate RWC 2019. Add one player per position to that roster. By categorizing second-row, flanker as wing as one position each there are 12 general positions. This would take-up 43 of the 46 places.

An alternative, would be to consider the overall needs per position and factor in Argentina’s strengths and strategy. Such an approach asks more of certain positions. Therefore, two fullbacks would be sufficient, but four hookers is essential. Cover for fullback can be identified within the roster.

In identifying 46 names I have retained the players from RWC 2019. Not considered, due to retirement, are Juan Figallo, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, and the aforementioned Joaquín Tuculet. Ten of the following players are uncapped.

 

ARGENTINA – 2020 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP SAMPLE ROSTER

LH PROP (5)
Ignacio Calles (Pau, FR) *
Facundo Gigena (Leicester Tigers, UK) *
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Jaguares)
Federico Wegrzyn (Ceibos) *
Mayco Vivas (Jaguares)

HOOKER (4)
Facundo Bosch (La Rochelle, FR)
Agustín Creevy (London Irish, UK)
Julián Montoya (Jaguares)
Santiago Socino (Jaguares)

TH PROP (5)
Francisco Gómez Kodela (Lyon, FR)
Santiago Medrano (Jaguares)
Enrique Pieretto (Glasgow Warriors, UK)
Lucio Sordoni (Jaguares)
Juan Pablo Zeiss (Ceibos)

LOCK (5)
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester, UK)
Ignacio Calas (Jaguares) *
Tomás Lavanini (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Lucas Paulos (Jaguares) *
Guido Petti (Bordeaux, FR)

FLANKER (5)
Francisco Gorrissen (Jaguares) *
Santiago Grondona (Jaguares) *
Tomás Lezana (Jaguares)
Marcos Kremer (Stade Français, FR)
Pablo Matera (Stade Français, FR)

N8 (3)
Rodrigo Bruni (Jaguares)
Facundo Isa (Toulon, FR)
Javier Ortega Desio (Jaguares)

SCRUMHALF (3)
Gonzalo Bertranou (Jaguares)
Tomás Cubelli (Jaguares)
Felipe Ezcurra (Jaguares)

FLYHALF (4)
Patricio Fernández (Lyon, FR)
Domingo Miotti (Jaguares) *
Nicolás Sánchez (Stade Français, FR)
Benjamín Urdapilleta (Castres, FR)

INSIDE CENTER (3)
Santiago Chocobares (Jaguares) *
Jerónimo de la Fuente (Perpignan, FR)
Lucas Mensa (Valence Romans, FR)

OUTSIDE CENTER (3)
Juan Cruz Mallía (Jaguares)
Matías Moroni (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Matías Orlando (Newcastle Falcons, UK)

WING (4)
Mateo Carreras (Jaguares) *
Santiago Cordero (Bordeaux Bègles, FR)
Bautista Delguy (Jaguares)
Ramiro Moyano (Toulon, FR)

FULLBACK (2)
Emiliano Boffelli (Jaguares)
Santiago Carreras (Jaguares)

*Uncapped